“No man is an island.” — John Donne
A principal I coach — call him John — ran a thriving office and told nobody that he hadn’t had an honest conversation about how he was actually doing in over a year. Great view from the top. Nobody up there with him.
Who’s the one person you’d actually tell if things weren’t OK?
A Bigger Problem Than It Looks
Harvard Business Review research found that 50% of CEOs report feeling lonely in their role, and 61% of that group say it actively hinders their performance. Among first-time CEOs, 70% said the same. Nathan Casserly of Ouwens Casserly Real Estate put the fix plainly: “As leaders we need to lead by example and start showing some vulnerability.” Leanne Pilkington, CEO of Laing + Simmons and President of REINSW, named the specific barrier: “People don’t have conversations around burnout, anxiety and depression because they, particularly men, think it makes them look weak.”
Feeling this one? You don’t have to figure it out alone — book a free High Performance Call and let’s talk through where you’re at.
Six Ways to Beat It
- Notice when you start isolating or feeling lonely, instead of pushing through it silently.
- Build a personal board of trusted people for genuinely honest conversations.
- Find a mentor or coach you can be candid with about the real issues.
- Join a business owners’ group or professional network outside your own office.
- Actively manage your stress, health and mental performance.
- Delegate and empower your team — you don’t have to hold everything alone.
Take action: Reach out to one person this week who could genuinely be part of your personal board, and have the honest conversation you’ve been putting off.
This is what being an Awesome Human leader actually requires — vulnerability first, so your team feels permission to have it too. The view from the top doesn’t have to be a lonely one.
If you’re ready to build your own personal board, book a free High Performance Call.
About Jet Xavier
Jet Xavier is a High Performance mindset and accountability coach who works with real estate agents, principals and team leaders to build sustainable, high-performing careers. Learn more about Jet.
This piece began as a column for Elite Agent — you can read the original here.
